The present invention relates generally to the field of data processing. More particularly, the present invention relates to document generation, for example, operation manuals from stored data. Even more particularly, the present invention pertains to specialized document generation from among common data files frequently shared with other documents or other versions of documents to produce audience specific documentation.
With the proliferation of complementary lines and products ranging from automobiles to household appliances to software, the ultimate user or installer is frequently faced with an information explosion. To assure complete disclosure, many installation or user manuals frequently include all of the information for all of the models in the product line. The user then must visually sort the information by caption, note, or heading to find that which pertains solely to the purchased model or version.
Of course, the other extreme--missing crucial information--is also a frequent problem. Many users and installers have encountered this headache when a manufacturer attempts to minimize documentation costs.
Likewise, the breakdown of traditional trade barriers has led to the marketing of the same product or line of products in many countries--many having a different national language. To assure complete disclosure, many instruction manuals frequently reprint each instruction in the language of each country where a sale is possible. The user then must visually sort the information by language to find that which pertains solely to the purchased model or version in the language in which the user finds the instructions familiar. This process is even more complicated when the instructions for every model in a multi-model line are reprinted in every language in every manual.
Other applications also suffer the potential for an overexposure to unnecessary information. Repair manuals, for example, may now be distributed electronically on disks or otherwise. The user desires only that information specific to the particular product being serviced. Nonetheless, the user wants all of the relevant information for that product. Likewise, the information provider may desire to restrict certain classes of information to certain classes of users. For example, classified information must be provided to some users but kept from others. Merely mixing classified information with unclassified information using the traditional conditional statement in the same manual or on the same disk is an unsatisfactory solution.
In the face of the need to provide complete information for all products, but not to overwhelm the user or provide inappropriate information, the information provider must typically employ a large staff of technical writers to generate user, installation or troubleshooting manuals specific to each model or version in each anticipated language and frequently broken out into classified and nonclassified information. However, with so many writers working on related projects, costs escalate and the information common to all models or versions can frequently be found to be inconsistent from model to model and from version to version. This, of course, can be very confusing and potentially misleading. However, it is not practical for any one writer to attempt to address the relation between topics in multiple products or versions; each writer faces a very specific task, regardless of how topics might be related.